A fable is a special kind of folktale. Folktales are storieshanded down by word of mouth. Many are eventually writtendown. Like folktales, fables are found in cultures all over theworld, from India to Africa to Eurasia. Aeosop’s Fables, credited toa Greek slave, are some of the earliest and most famous.
Each fable has a number of interesting characteristics. Italways teaches a lesson, or moral. Usually the characters are animalsthat are given human traits, which is an example of personification.A fable is fiction. It is also fantasy—always in the realm of theimpossible or improbable. Finally, a fable is a form of allegory—afictional story whose symbolic meaning is more important than itsliteral meaning.
The twelve fables in this book are each followed by acrossword puzzle that tests literal comprehension, as well as a setof comprehension questions based on the six levels of Bloom’sTaxonomy: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis,synthesis, and evaluation. Since the exercises range from simpleto complex, they are ideal for the differentiated classroom.
The following is a more detailed explanation of the types ofthinking skills involved at each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. It willhelp you understand why the comprehension and critical thinkingquestions are labeled and worded as they are. Keep in mind thatthese categories will overlap and intertwine. You will also findthat many skills apply to more than one level of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
• Knowledge: reading for details, finding facts, recallinginformation
• Comprehension: identifying the main idea, summarizing,determining sequence. Higher level comprehension skillsinclude classifying, identifying cause and effect, makinginferences, drawing conclusions, and predictingconsequences of behavior.
• Application: applying story content to real life or topersonal experience, converting abstract content toconcrete situations, making use of knowledge learned
• Analysis: completing analogies, using logic, identifyingthe unstated moral of a story, recognizing patterns ofbehavior, breaking a whole into its component parts, seeinghow parts relate to the whole, classifying
• Synthesis: predicting outcomes, drawing conclusions,comparing/contrasting, relating knowledge from severaldifferent areas, generalizing from given facts, combiningparts of a whole in a new and different way
• Evaluation: making judgments, forming/expressingpersonal values, expressing/justifying an opinion,discerning fact from opinion, evaluating facts for accuracy
In addition to fables, crossword puzzles, and questions basedon Bloom’s Taxonomy, this book features several literatureresponse activities: The Venn Diagram Compare/Contrast Chart,the Story Map, Story Sequence, and a challenge activity calledAbout This Story.
• Venn Diagram Compare/Contrast Chart: to helpstudents increase their comprehension of a story byshowing similarities and differences between characters(either in the same story or in two different stories) orbetween stories (for example, comparing or contrastingstory plots, morals, or recurring themes)
• Story Map: to help the teacher assess the student’s abilityto recall the main events in the plot that move the storytoward its resolution
• Story Sequence: to help students understand the mostimportant events in a story and that those events happenin a certain sequence. The “time-order” words will helpstudents organize their thoughts.
• About This Story: to help those students who are capableof exploring the elements of a story, such as, characters,plot, setting, theme, recurring themes, personification,author’s purpose, etc.
The high-quality audio CD, which may be found inside theback cover of this book, follows each story word for word.
You will find the Chart of Skills (inside the front cover) to bea valuable teaching tool. It shows precisely which skills aretargeted in every story. The chart will enable you to choose aselection according to the skills it covers, or to simply be informedabout the skills you will be teaching with each story.
Suggestions For Using This Book:
• Use the stories and follow-up activities with individualstudents or with small groups of students who are readingat the same level. They make an excellent at-home practiceor partner reading activity. Oral discussion of work as it iscompleted will increase the level of student understanding.
• The audio CD is ideal for use with students who areexperiencing reading difficulties. By listening to the storyor following along as it is being read, those students willhave a greater chance at comprehension success.
THE MAN, THE BOY, AND THE DONKEY .................................................. 1QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................ 2
THE CROW AND THE PITCHER.................................................................. 4QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................ 5
THE FOX WITH NO TAIL .............................................................................. 7QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................ 8
THE CITY MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY MOUSE..................................... 10QUESTIONS ......................................................................................................11
THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER ........................................................ 13QUESTIONS ......................................................................................................14
THE LION AND THE MOUSE ..................................................................... 19QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................... 20
ANDROCLES AND THE LION ..................................................................... 22QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................... 23
THE FOX AND THE CAT ............................................................................ 25QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................... 26
THE BAT, THE BIRDS, AND THE BEASTS ............................................... 28QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................... 29
THE FOX AND THE GRAPES ..................................................................... 31QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................... 32
THE BOY WHO CRIED “WOLF!” ................................................................ 34QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................... 35
1. Number these events in the order they happened:
_____ They passed some women in a field._____ Young girls laughed at them._____ They tried to carry the donkey._____ Old men talked badly about them.
what to do then. Finally, he decided thatthey would carry the donkey. They tiedthe donkey's feet to a long pole. Byputting the pole on their shoulders theycould carry the donkey upside downbetween them.
The donkey did not like to ride thisway and began to kick his feet. The boydropped his end of the pole. The donkeyfell into the river and drowned.
The farmer and his son learned thelesson that if you try to please everybody,no one will be happy.
A farmer and his son were going intotown with their donkey. As the threewalked along, some young girls pointed atthem and began to laugh. The girls thoughtthat it was strange that they didn't ride thedonkey. The farmer told his son to get onthe donkey and ride. He did not wantthem to look silly.
A little farther down the road, theypassed some old men who began to talkabout them. The old men said that it waswrong for the son to ride and the father towalk. The farmer had his son get off thedonkey so that he could ride it himself. Hedid not want the old men to think the boywas lazy.
Soon they passed some women in thefields. The women were shocked that thefather would ride and make the little boywalk. The father decided to bring the boyup on the donkey with him.
Near the town, some people thoughtthat the farmer and his son were beingmean to the donkey. They said the loadwas too heavy. The father did not know
ACROSS1. The boy ___ his end of the pole.4. The girls thought it was ___ that they
didn’t ride the donkey.5. The girls began to ___ at the three of
them.10. The farmer and his son carried the
donkey ___ down on a pole.11. The man was a ___.12. The farmer did not want the old men to
think his son was ___.14. The farmer, his son, and the ___ were
going into town.16. They were going ___ town.17. The donkey ___ in the river.
THE MAN, THE BOY,AND THE DONKEY
DOWN2. The donkey fell into the ___.3. They tied the donkey to a long ___.4. They carried the pole on their ___.6. The farmer did not want to look ___ to
the girls.7. Some ___ thought that the farmer and
his son were being mean to the donkey.8. If you try to please everybody, no one
will be ___.9. The farmer and his son tried to ___ the
donkey on a pole.11. The women were in the ___.13. They were going into ___.15. The farmer told his son to ___ the
A crow had been flying for a long timeand was very thirsty. He looked belowhim and saw a water pitcher on the sideof the road. The crow flew down to geta drink of water from the pitcher.
When he looked down into the pitcher,he could see the water near the bottom.It was too far down for him to reach itwith his beak. He thought and thoughtabout the problem of getting the water.He thought that he might tip over thepitcher, but the water would spill. It wouldsoak into the ground, and he would not beable to drink it. What could he do?
Finally, the thirsty crow solved hisproblem. He picked up a little stone withhis beak and dropped it into the pitcher.Then he picked up another pebble anddropped it in. Over and over again, thecrow put pebbles into the water pitcher.
Each time he dropped a pebble intothe pitcher, the water would rise a littlehigher. The crow worked all afternoondropping the pebbles one at a time intothe water.
At last, the water was high enough forhim to reach it with his beak. The half-dead crow was able to drink the waterand save his life.
The crow had learned the lesson thatlittle by little does the trick. It had takenhim a very long time, but his hard work hadpaid off!
Fred, the fox, was proud of his big,bushy tail. He used to strut around andshow it off to the other foxes. Theythought he was very handsome, indeed.
One day, Fred was walking in thewoods when he was caught in a trap. Thetrap had clamped around his tail. In orderto escape, Fred pulled as hard as he could.He pulled so hard that his tail came off inthe trap. All he had left was a little stumpwhere his wonderful tail had been.
Fred was ashamed for the other foxesto see him without his tail, so he hid fromthem. Then he thought of a plan which hethought might work.
He called a meeting of all the otherfoxes. When they had gathered, Fredbegan to tell them how nice it was not tohave a tail to worry about. He pointed outthe way the tail got in the way when onetried to run from enemies. He said it wasnot easy to sit down with a big, bushy tail.He tried to convince the other foxes toget rid of their tails too.
THE FOX WITH NO TAIL
ANALYSIS
1. Why did Fred want the other foxes to get rid of their tails?
Finally, one of the wise old foxes spokeup. He said that he did not think Fredwould ask them to get rid of their tails ifhe still had his. They all agreed and kepttheir beautiful tails.
The foxes had learned the lesson thatwhen someone gives advice, he usuallywants something for himself. Fred hadwanted the other foxes to look like him.
ACROSS3. The foxes ___ for the meeting.7. Fred thought of a ___ which he hoped
would work.8. When someone gives advice, he usually
wants something for ___.9. Fred's tail was big and ___.
10. The old fox was very ___.12. The foxes ___ to keep their beautiful tails.13. The fox who lost his tail was named ___.15. Fred was ___ for the other foxes to see
him without his tail.17. All that was left was a little ___ where
Fred's tail had been.19. Fred ___ of a plan.
THE FOX WITH NO TAIL
DOWN1. Fred lost his ___.2. Fred tried to give the other foxes ___.4. The other foxes thought that Fred was
very ___, indeed.5. Fred called a ___ of all the foxes.6. Fred ___ so hard to get out of the trap
that his tail came off.11. Fred said a tail got in the way when one
tried to run away from ___.13. Fred was a ___.14. The trap ___ around Fred's tail.16. The trap had been set by a ___.18. Fred was caught in a ___.
One day a mouse who lived in the bigcity went to visit his cousin who lived outin the country. The country mouse wasvery happy that his favorite cousin was onhis way. He had not seen him for a longtime.
The country mouse worked very hardto clean his den and find lots of good food.There were bits of cheese, bacon, bread,and beans.
The city mouse ate the food which hiscountry cousin had for him. Soon themouse from the city began to brag abouthis way of life. He told his cousin that thefood in the city was much better. He saidthere were many different fancy kinds offoods where he came from. He invited thecountry mouse to come to the city totaste the wonderful food.
The two mice went to a big house inthe city. The people who lived there hadfinished a huge feast. The mice began totaste all the food that was left on the table.
MAIN IDEA– COMPREHENSION
1. Write what this story was mainly about in one or two sentences.
They were eating cakes, pies, jam, roastbeef, and other fine food.
Suddenly, the two big dogs that lived inthe house came barking into the room andchased the mice away. The country mousewas very afraid and decided to go back tohis own home right away.
The country mouse had learned thelesson that it is better to live a simple lifewhere it is safe than to live a fancy life in adangerous place.
On a bright summer day, a grasshopperwas playing in a field. He was hopping andjumping all over. He was so happy that hewanted everyone to play with him.
An ant came along carrying a big pieceof corn to her nest. She always workedvery hard to keep food stored in herhome. The grasshopper asked her to stopand play a game with him. She shook herhead and kept on going down the pathwith the corn.
Later the ant came by with a huge hunkof bread she had found. The grasshoppercould not understand why she worked sohard on such a nice summer day. He toldher to stop working and have a chat withhim.
The ant told him that she was workingnow to be sure that she had plenty of foodfor the winter. The grasshopper laughed ather and asked why she worried aboutwinter in the middle of the summer. Hetold her that she was foolish to waste thebeautiful summertime by working so hard.
CAUSE AND EFFECT – COMPREHENSION
1. What caused the grasshopper to be hungry in the winter?
The ant did not listen to him. Nothingcould stop her from doing her chores.
When winter came, the grasshopperhad no food. He was dying of hunger. Theants were very happy because they had allthe food they needed to last them throughthe winter.
As he watched the ants, the hungrygrasshopper knew that he had learned alesson from them. He knew that it is bestto be sure you are prepared for the timewhen you know you will need something.
The mice who lived in the big househeld a meeting. They were trying to decidewhat to do about the new cat who hadmoved into their house. It was not safe forany of them to come out with the cataround. Each time one of the mice wouldtry to come out into the house, the catwould sneak up on him. No longer couldthe mice get all the food that they needed.They couldn’t play anymore either.
The meeting lasted a long time. Themice had many different plans for takingcare of the cat. They could not decidewhich of the ideas was best.
A small mouse had been sitting in theback row during the whole meeting. Finally,he stood up and raised his paw. He saidthat he had a plan. It was his idea that theyshould put a bell around the cat’s neck. Ifthey did that, they would always knowwhere the cat was because they wouldhear the bell.
The other mice became very excited.They thought that the young mouse had
SUMMARIZING – COMPREHENSION
1. Tell what happened in the story in one or two sentences.
come up with the best idea ever. Theywere so happy that they began to danceand sing. They were cheering very loudly.
Suddenly, the oldest and wisest mousesaid something that made them all stopand listen. The old mouse spoke in a verysoft voice. He said that the idea was good,but then he asked which one of the micewas going to put the bell around the cat’sneck. No one was brave enough to do it.
The mice had learned the lesson thatit is easy to think up good ideas, but notalways possible to do them.
Name ________________________________________BELLING THE CAT
ACROSS1. All the mice had a ___ to decide what to
do about the cat.3. It was not safe for the mice to ___ out
into the house.4. A new ___ was living in the house.6. The mice wanted to put a ___ around
the cat’s neck.11. The mouse who asked the question was
___ and wise.12. The oldest mouse said something that
made them stop and ___.13. The mice learned a ___.14. The cat would ___ up on the mice and
chase them.16. The meeting ___ a long time.18. The small mouse ___ up and said he had
a plan.
DOWN2. The small mouse had an idea that was
very ___ to the other mice.3. The mice were ___ very loudly.5. The mice began to ___ and sing.7. They cheered very ___.8. The lesson was that it is easy to think up
good ___, but not always possible to dothem.
9. No one was ___ enough to put the bellon the cat.
10. The small mouse ___ his paw.15. It was not safe in the house with the cat
One summer day, a lion was sleepingin the shade of a tree. While he slept, alittle mouse began to run up his leg andthen all over him. This tickled the lion,and he woke up. He grabbed the tinymouse with his big paw and opened hismouth to eat him.
The little mouse thought fast. Helooked at the lion and begged not to beeaten. He asked the lion to forgive him forplaying on him. The mouse said that if thelion would let him go, he would neverforget how kind the lion had been. Thelittle mouse promised to pay the lion backsome day for letting him go.
The lion began to laugh at the idea thata mouse could ever help him. He laughedso hard that he opened his paw. He let thelittle mouse get away.
Some weeks later, the lion was caughtin a hunter’s trap. The trap was a big netwhich had fallen over the lion. He triedand tried but couldn’t get out of the net.
SEQUENCE – COMPREHENSION
1. Number these events in the order they happened:
_____ The lion got trapped in a hunter’s net.
_____ The mouse set the lion free.
_____ The lion let the mouse go free.
He had given up hope when he sawsomething very small in the grass near him.
It was the tiny mouse who justhappened to be going by. When he sawthe trouble the lion was having, the mousedecided to help. He had promised to payback the lion and this was his chance. Themouse began to chew through the ropesof the net, and soon the lion was free.
The lion had learned the lesson thatlittle friends may turn out to be your bestfriends.
Name ________________________________________THE LION AND THE MOUSE
ACROSS2. One ___ day, the lion was sleeping.4. The lion could not believe that such a
___ mouse could help him.7. The mouse heard the lion ___.9. The lion learned a ___ when the mouse
saved his life.11. The mouse told the lion that he would
___ him back if he let him go.12. The lion had ___ up hope of getting out
of the trap.13. Little friends may turn out to be your
___ friends.15. When the mouse ran all over the lion, it
___ him and he woke up.16. The lion saw something small in the grass
___ him.17 The lion grabbed the mouse in his big ___.
DOWN1. After the mouse chewed the ropes, the
lion was ___.3. A little ___ saved the lion’s life.5. The little mouse ___ fast.6. The lion was ___ under a tree.7. The mouse saved the life of the ___.8. The mouse just ___ to be going by the
trapped lion.10. The lion slept in the ___ of a tree.14. The lion was trapped in a ___ made of
A long time ago, a slave namedAndrocles escaped from his master. Hewas hiding in the forest. One day, he founda lion lying under a tree. The lion wasmoaning and groaning. Androcles wasafraid of the lion and started to run away.When he saw that the lion did not chasehim, Androcles went back.
As he came near, the lion put out hispaw. There was a big thorn in the lion’s paw.Androcles pulled out the thorn and put abandage on the paw. The lion became afriend of Androcles. They went to thelion’s cave where Androcles could hide.The lion brought him food every day.
One day, both Androcles and the lionwere captured by the king’s soldiers. Theking decided that the slave should have tofight with a lion to pay for escaping. Theking was sure that the lion would killAndrocles. No man had ever beaten a lionin a fight.
The king and all his people came to seethe big fight between the lion and theslave. They watched as Androcles stood in
the middle of the arena. The lion was letloose from its cage. It ran toward theslave to kill him. But this lion came up tothe slave and licked his hand. He wouldnot kill Androcles.
The king made Androcles tell him whyhe and the lion were friends. The storymade the king so happy that he setAndrocles free and let the lion go into theforest.
They learned the lesson that when youdo something nice for someone, they willdo something nice for you.
Name ________________________________________ANDROCLES AND THE LION
ACROSS1. Androcles was a ___ who escaped.3. He was hiding in the ___.5. Androcles put a ___ on the lion’s hurt paw.7. The slave and lion were to fight in the ___.8. The lion brought ___ to Androcles every
day.10. Androcles helped the ___.12. The lion ___ the slave’s hand instead of
fighting him.15. The people learned a ___.16. The hurt lion did not ___ Androcles
when he ran away.17. The lion hid Androcles in his ___ in the
forest.18. If you do something ___ for someone,
they will do something ___ for you.
DOWN1. The king’s ___ captured the lion and
Androcles.2. The lion became a ___ to Androcles.4. The lion was ___ and groaning.6. The slave’s name was ___.8. The lion and the slave were to ___ in the
middle of the arena.9. The slave stood in the ___ of the arena.
11. All the ___ came to see the fightbetween the lion and the slave.
13. The ___ was so happy that he setAndrocles free.
One day, a fox and cat were talking.The fox bragged that he knew 100 differentways to escape from his enemies. The catsaid that she knew of only one way to getaway from her enemies.
As they were sitting there, they hearda pack of wolves coming toward them.They knew that they had to get away fromthe wolves. The cat ran to the nearest treeand climbed to the highest branch. Shecalled to the fox that this was the only wayshe knew how to get away from danger.
The fox sat under the tree and tried todecide how he would get away. He thoughtof one way and then another. The wolveswere getting closer. Still the fox sat underthe tree thinking and thinking.
The fox could not make up his mindwhich way he would escape. The cat calleddown to him to tell him to hurry. Helooked up and said that he was thinking asfast as he could. The wolves were gettingcloser and closer.
MAKING INFERENCES – COMPREHENSION
1. Why was it better for the cat to have just one plan for escape?
Finally, the fox decided to run away. Itwas too late. The wolves had gotten tooclose for him to escape. They caught thefox and killed him. The wolves did not evenknow that the cat was up in the tree. Thecat was very sad about her friend.
The cat had learned a good lesson. Sheknew that it was better for her to have onesafe way to escape. The poor fox had somany ideas that he could not make up hismind in time to save his life.
A great war was about to begin betweenthe birds and the beasts. The birds all gottogether to make an army to fight thebeasts. At the same time, the beasts weremaking their own army to fight against thebirds.
A bat was watching the birds andbeasts as they got ready for the big fight.The birds flew by the bat’s cave on the wayto the battleground. They asked the bat tojoin their army. He said that he could notjoin them because he was a beast, eventhough he could fly.
The army of beasts marched by hiscave on their way to the battleground.They asked the bat to join their army. Hesaid that he could not join them because,since he could fly, he was a bird.
Just before the big battle started, thebirds and beasts got together and decidednot to fight after all. Peace was madebetween them. Each group planned tohave a big party because they were all sohappy.
The bat went to the birds and asked tocome to their party. The birds would notlet him join in their fun because he had nothelped them. Then the bat went to thebeasts and the same thing happened. Theywould not let him come to their partyeither. The bat was very unhappy and flewback to his cave alone.
The bat had learned the lesson that aperson who will not help either one sideor the other will have no friends.
SUMMARIZING – COMPREHENSION
1. Write what happened in the story in one or two sentences.
It was the middle of the summer andthe day was very, very hot. A fox waswalking through the woods trying to keepcool and find a bite to eat. He tried to stayin the shade as he walked. All at once, hesaw a bunch of grapes hanging over thelimb of a tree.
The grapevine had grown up the treeand the grapes were too high for thehungry fox to reach. The fox knew that hecould not climb the tree to reach thegrapes. He sat down under the tree todecide what he could do to solve hisproblem.
The fox tried putting a pile of sticksand leaves under the branch. Then heclimbed up on the pile to try to reach thegrapes. Just as he got to the top of the pile,it fell apart and he was back on the groundagain. He sat down and thought somemore.
He decided to try to jump up toreach the bunch of grapes. The foxwalked away and turned around to look
SYNTHESIS
1. How could the fox have talked and acted more positively?
at the grapes. Then he ran as fast as hecould toward them and jumped up to tryto grab them. He missed. By this time, hewas not only hungry, he was thirsty too.He wanted the grapes more than ever.
The fox went even farther away. Heran as fast as he could and jumped as highas he could. The grapes were still out of hisreach. He tried four times to reach them.At last he gave up.
As he walked away, the fox said tohimself that the grapes were probablysour anyway. He had learned the lessonthat it is easy to say you don’t like what youcannot get.
6. The fox had a “sour grapes” attitude. Which of the following is an example of a real-
life “sour grapes” attitude? (Circle your answer).
a. Heather tries out for cheerleading. She doesn’t make it, but her best friend does.Heather congratulates her friend, and will try again next year.
b. Jake has tried three times to get an A on a math test. After getting 2 C’s and one B,he says, “I give up – no more studying. A’s are for nerds anyway.”
EVALUATION
7. Which person would you rather be around – Heather or Jake? Why? (You may use
A young shepherd boy watched overhis sheep on the hillside above the townwhere he lived. The town was at thebottom of a very high mountain near adark forest. Every day, the boy took thesheep up the hillside and took care ofthem.
Nothing exciting ever happened tothe boy and his sheep. He got very lonelyon the side of the mountain with nothingbut sheep to talk to. He wanted someoneto spend time with while he watched thesheep. The boy made up a plan.
One day, the boy began to yell that awolf was near the sheep. He called veryloudly. The people in the town camerunning up the hill to help him. When theygot there, he was very happy. He hadsomeone to talk with. The people werenot happy because there was no wolfthere that could hurt the sheep.
Three days later, the boy did the samething. The people who climbed the hill tohelp him were very angry. They told the
ANALYSIS
1. What was the shepherd boy’s pattern of behavior (what did he do again and again)?
boy never to call them again when he didnot need them. The people were sure thatthe boy would never tell the truth.
The next day, a wolf came out of thedark forest and began to chase the sheep.When the boy yelled that a wolf was afterthe sheep, the people of the town did notbelieve him. No one came to help him.They were sure he was fooling them again.
The wolf killed many of the boy’s sheep.He learned the lesson that people do notbelieve a liar, even when he is telling thetruth.
4. What is the author’s purpose (to entertain, to inform, to persuade, to teach a lesson, etc.)? (Theremay be more than one answer.) ________________________________________________
5. What are the important values or lessons taught in the story? (For example: honesty, kindness,fairness, hard work, you reap what you sow) _______________________________________
6. Is there a theme (underlying idea) in this story that is repeated in other folktales?(For example: the triump of good over evil, the consequences of good and bad actions, the underdogwins in the end, rags to riches, failure turns into success, someone stronger rescues someoneweaker.) If so, write what that theme is. (There may be more than one answer.) ____________
7. Is there an example of personification (an animal or object having human characteristics, such as,the ability to talk) in this story? If so, write what the example is. _________________________
2 1) They thought it was strange that they were notriding. 2) They thought he was lazy. 3) They wereshocked that the man was riding and letting his sonwalk. 4) They thought the father and son were tooheavy for the donkey. 5) If you try to please everybody,no one will be happy. 6) The donkey’s kicking causedthe boy to drop the pole. The donkey then fell into thewater and drowned. OR The father and son trying toplease everyone is what caused the donkey to drown.7) 3, 1, 2 8) They kept trying to please people.9) They kept telling the father and son what to do, andthey kept criticizing whatever they did.
3 Across: 1) dropped 4) strange 5) laugh 10) upside11) farmer 12) lazy 14) donkey 16) into 17) drownedDown: 2) river 3) pole 4) shoulders 6) silly 7) people8) happy 9) carry 11) fields 13) town 15) ride
4 1) birds; liquids or things you drink
5 1) He had been flying a long time. 2) He saw waterin a pitcher. 3) He had to find a way to raise thewater level; he had to find a way to get the water outof the pitcher. 4) He dropped pebbles one by oneinto the pitcher until the water was high enough todrink. 5) Little by little does the trick. OR Hardwork pays off. 6) Examples: perseverance,resourcefulness 7) water; fly 8) Answers will vary.
6 Across: 3) rise 6) afternoon 8) off 9) beak10) problem 15) thirsty 18) higher 19) side20) water Down: 1) drink 2) lesson 4) pebble5) road 7) learned 11) little 12) pitcher 13) reach14) crow 16) work 17) time
7 1) He wanted to feel better about himself; he wantedto look like them again and be accepted.
8 1) He got caught in a trap. 2) He had to pull until histail came off. 3) He tried to convince them to get ridof their tails. 4) He said he did not think Fred wouldask them to get rid of their tails if he still had his.5) When someone gives advice, he usually wantssomething for himself. OR Misery loves company.6) The words of the wise old fox caused them todecide to keep their tails. 7) Accept any reasonableanswer. 8) Accept any reasonable answer.
9 Across: 3) gathered 7) plan 8) himself 9) bushy10) wise 12) agreed 13) Fred 15) ashamed17) stump 19) thought Down: 1) tail 2) advice4) handsome 5) meeting 6) pulled 11) enemies13) fox 14) clamped 16) hunter 18) trap
10 1) Sentences will vary.
11 1) He cleaned his den and found lots of good food.2) city life and fancy city food 3) He wanted him totaste the fancy city food. 4) The two dogs in thehouse chased them away. 5) It is better to live asimple life where it is safe than to live a fancy life in adangerous place. 6) 3, 2, 1 7) the two mice in thecountry; the two mice in the city 8) Answers will vary.
13 1) not preparing, not storing food in the summer
14 1) to play with him; to chat with him 2) She wasstoring food for the winter. 3) He thought she waswasting the summer working so hard. 4) He had nofood; he was starving. 5) It is best to prepare aheadof time so you have what you need later. 6) hard-working; prepared; focused 7) Answers will vary.8) Accept any reasonable answers.
17 1) to decide what to do about the cat 2) Theycouldn’t play or get all the food they wanted. 3) totie a bell around the cat’s neck, so they could hearhim coming 4) No one was brave enough to put thebell on the cat. 5) It is easy to think up good ideas,but not always possible to do them. 6) He wasolder and wiser; he thought things through more thanthey did. 7) Answers will vary. 8) Accept anyreasonable answer.
20 1) The mouse accidentally woke the sleeping lion.2) to pay the lion back someday 3) when the lionwas trapped in a hunter’s net 4) He chewed throughthe ropes and freed the lion. 5) Little friends mayturn out to be your best friends. OR It pays to bekind. 6) the hunter and the lion; the mouse and thelion 7) the mouse getting caught and the lion lettinghim go free; the lion getting trapped and the mousesetting him free 8) Answers will vary.
22 1) Examples: Both stories are about lions. Bothstories teach about kindness and mercy. Both storieshave characters that return favors to each other. Bothstories have a “bad guy” (the hunter, the king).
23 1) He had a painful thorn in his paw. 2) He took thethorn out and bandaged his paw. 3) They werecaptured by the king’s soldiers. The king decidedthat Androcles had to fight the lion to pay for escaping.4) He liked the story about how they became friends.5) When you do something nice for someone, theywill do something nice for you. 6) his natural fear ofa wild animal 7) He had become Androcles’s friendbecause Androcles had helped him. 8) Examples:He had Androcles and the lion fight, and he believedin slavery (cruel); but he let them both go free (kind).
25 1) She didn’t have to waste time deciding what to do.
26 1) He said he knew a hundred ways to excape from hisenemies. 2) It was the one way she knew to escapefrom the wolves. 3) She called to him twice to climbthe tree and get out of danger. 4) He took too longdeciding on the best way to escape. 5) It is better tohave one way to solve a problem than a hundred waysyou can’t decide on. OR He who hesitates is lost.6) She escaped right away while he didn’t; she actedwisely while he acted foolishly; she didn’t brag, but sheacted; he bragged, but he didn’t act. 7) tree or trunk;cat 8) Story endings will vary.
27 Across: 3) learned 5) heard 6) too 7) bragged9) enemies 11) wolves 13) ideas 14) decide16) climbed 17) there Down: 1) talking 2) better3) life 4) fast 5) hundred 8) fox 9) escape10) mind 12) one 15) cat
28 1) Summaries will vary.
29 1) He told the birds that he was a beast. 2) He toldthe beasts that he was a bird. 3) They decided notto fight; they decided to make peace instead. 4) Hehadn’t helped either group. 5) A person who will nothelp one side or the other will have no friends.6) animals or beasts or mammals; birds 7) notdeciding, not choosing 8) He should have joinedone side or the other.
30 Across: 3) war 4) friends 9) battleground 10) cave13) together 14) person 15) alone 16) party17) lesson Down: 1) birds 2) unhappy 3) watching5) happened 6) against 7) join 8) marched 11) bat12) beasts 14) Peace 15) army
31 1) Answers will vary.
32 1) The grapevine had grown up high into the tree.2) When he tried to climb it, it collapsed. 3) Hecouldn’t jump high enough. 4) He gave up and walkedaway. He said the grapes were probably sour anyway.5) It is easy to say you don’t like what you cannotget. 6) b 7) Answers will vary.
33 Across: 1) grapes 4) four 5) limb 7) solve8) probably 11) learned 12) woods 14) farther17) too 18) hungry Down: 1) grab 2) summer3) bite 6) could 9) bunch 10) cool 13) stay14) fox 15) tree 16) ever
34 1) He kept calling for help when he didn’t need it.
35 1) He was lonely and wanted someone to talk to.2) because he called for help 3) never to call themagain when he didn’t need them 4) They didn’tbelieve him; he had fooled them twice before.5) People do not believe a liar, even when he is tellingthe truth. OR Don’t say you have an emergencywhen you really don’t. 6) his lies; his false alarms7) Answers will vary. Example: a prank call to 9119) Answers will vary.
36 Across: 2) forest 4) town 5) liar 7) sheep9) hillside 11) exciting 14) later 16) people17) lonely 18) climbed Down: 1) believe 3) angry4) truth 5) lesson 6) wolf 8) chase 10) shepherd12) dark 13) yell 15) talk
